Devotional: How Full Is Your Plate? (2 Corinthians 1:8–9)

On November 30, 2022December 1, 2022 By Janine TuggleIn 2 Corinthians, Articles, Devotional, New Testament

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. (2 Corinthians 1:8b-9 English Standard Version)

Many have heard the saying “My plate is too full” or “I have too much on my plate.” This expression comes from someone who has too much food on their plate to eat. So this expression moved from table to everyday life. This saying is said when one has too many things to handle or deal with.

Life is always full of work, chores, cleaning, cooking, errands, sleep, recreation, hobbies, eating, and of course worshiping God. It is normal for everyone to have a fair amount of activities that need to be accomplished in a day.

Many activities or jobs can be accomplished over a longer period of time. But there are times in our lives in which we can be overwhelmed with a number of jobs, obligations or circumstances that need our prompt and urgent attention. These kinds of circumstances go beyond our normal activities and can be very stressful.

Frequently we do not know what to do first when we are extremely overwhelmed with many things. At some point, we realize we cannot get everything done.

James tells us,

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (James 1:2-3)

Other versions use endurance or perseverance in place of steadfastness.

Yes, at times we might have some overwhelming problems that come into our life. We might have to drop our daily normal duties to take care of these important things. All in all, this will make us stronger people. These things that hit us hard will sometimes cause us pain, worry, or lack of sleep. We will continue to remember the details and we will learn from them.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

Hymn: The Steadfast Love of the Lord

Devotional: Dessert Plate (Colossians 3:23–24)

On November 16, 2022October 26, 2022 By Janine TuggleIn Articles, Colossians, Devotional, New Testament

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.” (Colossians 3:23–24a).

Last but not least is the dessert plate in our study of plates. The dessert plate is a specialty plate. As we can see from its name, it is used to put a dessert on, something sweet one enjoys after a meal. It is not meant for a sweet snack at any other time of the day. It is meant to be used only after the dinner meal.

The background of the word dessert comes from the French word desservir, meaning “to remove what has been served.” Which means everything from the table has been taken away when the meal has finished. So, dessert refers to what is eaten after the meal was cleared.

I would like for us to take a look at this dessert plate and what is on it as the reward we will receive after the table is cleared when our life comes to an end on this earth. If you can imagine all the plates we have talked about up to this point as our life and what we have done in it. When our life ends here on this earth it is time for dessert.

We have prepared our whole life for this final event:

We have filled ourselves with those essential spiritual needs.
We have stood firm on a spiritual and biblical foundation.
We have received the Bread of Life through our study and worship.
We have endured our full plate and overcome trials of various kinds.
We have prayed, read our Bible, and encouraged and been encouraged to get us through the day.

We have had our dinner of fundamental and basic spiritual nourishment by digging into God’s word. Our Lord has been there as we spill our hearts to him in prayer, and show our love to him through service to others. We have been faithful throughout our lives until death.

We must be careful because even though dessert can be good, it can also be bad for some of us. Those who are not of the household of faith will not be able to enjoy the good reward of the good dessert on this dessert plate.

Hymn: Heaven Holds All to Me

Devotional: Luncheon Plate (1 Thess 5:11)

On November 2, 2022October 25, 2022 By Janine TuggleIn 1 Thessalonians, Devotional, New Testament

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11)

The luncheon plate, which is about 8-9.5 inches in diameter, has a history dating from the 18th century when it first was called nunchin (nuncheon). A nunchin was a light snack for the cooks, which was to tide them over between their breakfast and dinner meal. Because the cooks got up so early to start the meals for the day it was a small amount of food for them to get through the day.

In the writing Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin, Austin called the noon meal “nuncheon.” At a later time, the snack in the midday was named “lunch” from the word luncheon. Luncheon means a lump or maybe a hunk of bread about the size one hand can hold. Nowadays, the midday meal is called lunch or luncheon. The luncheon plate is smaller and lighter than a dinner plate.

Let’s look at the idea of a luncheon plate so as to give us a little strength through the day. Sometimes we need something to get us through a difficult time or situation. We might need a pick-me-up or a bit of encouragement.

How are we going to get this encouragement? We can be encouraged by someone who we can talk with. Maybe a close friend, the minister, or an elder. Sharing your thoughts or concerns with someone will help us get through. Saying a quick prayer or reading a Bible verse will help also.

As said here:

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 4:10)

Singing a favorite song or hymn to praise our God is always a pick-me-up:

"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Psalm 118:14)

Let’s turn this around as one who is to serve or provide a luncheon. Be the encourager, be the one to lift someone up, and be that helper through someone’s day.

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." (Proverbs 16:24)

Lifting someone else’s spirits gives us a lift of encouragement too.

Hymn: Love lifted me

Devotional: Tucked In (1 Samuel 25:29)

On October 19, 2022September 27, 2022 By Janine TuggleIn 1 Samuel, Devotional, Old Testament

When someone pursues you and attempts to take your life, my lord’s life will be tucked safely in the place where the Lord your God protects the living. However, He will fling away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling. (1 Samuel 25:29 Christian Standard Bible)

Occasionally as I am going to bed, especially when it is cold, I like to get the covers all tucked in on my sides. That reminds me of when my mom would tuck me into bed also, giving me a kiss good night. I remember as a young child, calling for my mom, “come tuck me in!” if she hadn’t done so already.

While studying for this topic, I found this scripture, our text for today in 1 Samuel. The CSB version was about the only version which uses the word “tucked.” All other versions use bound, as in “bound in the bundle of life” (King James Version), or “bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God” (English Standard Version). Bound, meaning as you would tie a bundle of twigs or some other item together. They are tied securely.

Here we can visualize the concept of security. As one who is tucked into bed by their mother. The child feels secure and safe. There is the feeling and awareness they are loved. Knowing there will be no harm to them.

There’s a story I read once of a mother hen found in the rubble of a burned-down chicken coop. Underneath her wings, and close to her breast, were her little chicks safely tucked away. A precious story and a good example of being tucked in safe and secure from harm’s way.

We can learn from this scripture and these examples, when we have anxiety and pressures from the world, we can be tucked away in the safety of our Lord. We can obtain this security through prayer by asking God “come tuck me in”. Be assured you can be safe in the arms of the Lord.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)

Hymn: Safe In The Arms Of Jesus

Devotional: Pumpkins and People (John 7:24)

On October 5, 2022 By Janine TuggleIn 1 Samuel, Devotional, Old Testament

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. (John 7:24)

Last year I drove kindergarteners to a pumpkin patch. I walked around looking at all the different kinds of pumpkins they had. There were so many different colors of pumpkins, and different sizes and shapes. It amazed me. I was told by an attendant that this ugly gray one makes the best-flavored pumpkin pie.

This revealed to me you can’t judge a pumpkin by how it looks on the outside. It’s what is inside that counts. Also, this principle applies to a lot of other things, such as, you can’t judge a book by its cover or people.

In 1 Samuel 16, for example, we read of the anointing of King David. The Lord told Samuel to go to the house of Jesse. For he said,

I have provided for myself a king among his sons. (1 Samuel 16:1b)

After Jesse and his first son came to the place where Samuel had invited them, Samuel thought surely this son will be the one. But the Lord said to Samuel,

Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

There were 7 sons who passed before Samuel, then he asked Jesse “Are there any more sons?” Yes, Jesse said, “he is out keeping the sheep.” Samuel requested to have him brought to him.

David was not the likely one to be chosen in the eyes of Samuel and Jesse. He was the youngest, the baby of the family. He was more likely the smallest of all his brothers, he was a sheep herder. But the Lord chose David. The Lord knew his heart.

We shouldn’t choose or judge someone by their size, by what they wear, or by the color of their eyes, hair, or skin. We shouldn’t judge by what kind of facial expression they have. They might be in deep thought from bad news or a memory.

So like those many different pumpkins, we should be careful how we choose and judge. You might just want to pick the ugly gnarly pumpkin. It might be the best one on the inside.